TRAFFIC SAFETY

We are working to make our roads safe for all users (including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers) through a variety of studies, projects, and initiatives. Mayor Fulop signed an Executive Order committing the City to a "Vision Zero" goal of eliminating traffic related fatalities by 2026 and establishing a task force to develop an action plan. Read the press release here.

Internal Working Group

In an effort to promote partnerships across offices and departments and to collaborate with communities and neighborhoods across the city, the city has formed an official Traffic Safety Working Group to ensure our work progresses and also reflects the needs of our residents and visitors, including:

Traffic Safety Internal Working Group: We have created an internal working group to ensure progress for the below items. The working group will also partner with groups such as Bike JC and Safe Streets JC to collaborate with communities across the city.

Interim Design Strategies: Low-cost temporary materials can often be used to test or pilot more permanent roadway safety solutions. For example, bump outs, like those used adjacent to Berry Lane Park, serve to keep vehicles from parking or driving too close to crosswalks and pedestrian areas, and narrow the distance required for pedestrians to cross a street. After piloting a few ideas throughout the city, we are working to move forward with more locations in the spring of 2018.

Traffic Signal Timing Changes: Intersections with high vehicle and pedestrian volume can be challenging for pedestrians. We are analyzing key intersections to see where changing traffic signal timing may help make crossing safer for pedestrians without impeding vehicle flow. One tool is creating a "Leading Pedestrian Interval", which allows pedestrians a head start of a few seconds to cross without any cars moving at all (all signals turn red at the same time).

Crossing Guards: Intersections with high volumes of pedestrians and also those near schools are assigned additional personnel to assist with ensuring pedestrian safety while crossing busy streets. View the list of intersections here.

Enhanced Parking Enforcement: We are expanding parking enforcement throughout the city to ensure vehicles are not parking too close to intersections or blocking pedestrian and bike travel areas as these behaviors have significant negative impacts on emergency response times. This includes overnight and weekend enforcement. If you see an illegal parking issue, please call (201) 547-5538.

Traffic Safety Police Unit: The Department of Public Safety has established a traffic safety unit, focusing specifically on speeding and aggressive driving. This unit has targeted JFK Boulevard from Bayonne to Union City and has issued 30-50 summonses each day since forming earlier in 2017.

Speed Humps: The city has installed dozens of speed humps to help reduce vehicle speeds throughout Jersey City. This fall we will be seeking community feedback for additional speed humps. View the current map of speed humps here.

Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall: We have successfully replaced a two-lane section of Newark Avenue with a pedestrian-friendly public gathering space, blocks from the Grove Street PATH station downtown. Click here for more information.

NJTPA Local Safety Program: The federally funded Local Safety Program supports the construction of quick-fix, high-impact safety improvements on local roadway facilities in the NJTPA region. The NJTPA solicits candidate projects each year and Jersey City has successfully applied for projects on many roadways throughout the city. Click here for more information.

Studies, Analyses, and Plans

Bike Safety Master Plan: We are planning to issue a public Request for Proposals for an outside expert consultant to evaluate our streets and help us develop more bike-friendly roads and routes. The RFP will be released in early 2018.

Pedestrian Enhancement Plan: We have hired an external consultant to help us create a plan to make pedestrian improvements on the City’s streets. The plan will identify specific improvements for one corridor in each ward, and offer a method that can be applied to improve other streets beyond the timeline of this study. We are currently finalizing the schedule of public meetings and walkability workshops. 6 public feedback sessions have been held and consultants are drafting a plan to be presented to the public in the Spring of 2018. Visit the Pedestrian Enhancement Plan Website for more information.

Complete Streets Evaluation Checklist: In order to advance the city's "Complete Streets" policy approved in 2011, we are developing a checklist and evaluation process applicable to all roadway improvement projects that will assist in the design and planning of transportation projects for all road users. More information coming soon.

Grand Street Study: We have hired an outside consultant to help us evaluate opportunities to improve pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and our bike lane connections between different neighborhoods along the Grand Street corridor. We are currently seeking feedback from the community to better understand community needs in this area. The outcomes of this study will be a list of options and projects for us to consider, along with the value and impact of each option. Visit our Grand Street Concept Development Page to learn more.

Montgomery Street Corridor: Montgomery Street is a busy thoroughfare for cars, bikes, pedestrians, and buses. We are in the final stages of redesigning a portion of Montgomery Street to more safely and efficiently accommodate all road users. Public meetings will be held in the spring of 2018 (still determining date/location). View the latest design proposal here.

Bergen Ave Road Safety Audit: The city recently received approval for a road safety audit along Bergen Ave. The community is also seeking feedback and support for evaluating the possibility of constructing a variety of pedestrian safety elements along Bergen Avenue from Montgomery to JFK Blvd. Click here for more information.

School Travel Plan: The City of Jersey City will be working with Rutgers University’s Voorhees Transportation Center to create a district-wide School Travel Plan. The goal of this plan is to increase and improve pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from schools. The plan will identify where students walk and bike now, what areas can be improved to encourage more walking and biking, and strategies to make those improvements in the short and long term. Learn more here.

Parking Management Plan: The City, in conjunction with NJTPA, will be conducting a citywide parking study. The goal of this study is to catalog and optimize the existing parking supply, understand the community-specific parking demands, and identify the most innovative strategies to manage parking. The Parking Management Plan will inform zoning regulations on current and future development, help reduce traffic congestion generated by single-occupancy vehicles and align with the goals in the Circulation Element to limit land dedicated to parking uses near transit stations and encourage the use of public transit and active modes of transportation throughout the City.

Christopher Columbus Drive Redesign: The City will be conducting a planning and design study in conjunction with NJDOT to address safety issues on Christopher Columbus Drive. The study will result in roadway design alternatives that improve safety, comfort, and access for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders along this corridor. More info on public participation opportunities coming soon.

Did you know?

A Complete Street provides enhanced protection and improved access for road users of all ages and across all transportation types. While no singular design exists for a complete street, it generally includes features such as protected bike lanes, narrower intersections, and driving lanes, and more visible pedestrian crossings. These design tools have no negative impact on vehicle flow and often improve traffic conditions and vehicle safety.

A Protected Bike Lane or PBL is a portion of a street or sidewalk dedicated to bicycle use with a barrier between the bike lane and the vehicle travel lane. The barrier can be a row of parked cars, plastic barrier posts (also known as delineators) planters, or even concrete walls. Visit Lincoln Park on the west side of Jersey City to see an example.

Questions? Feedback? Other ideas?

If you have any questions about any of the above projects or have information or guidance that might help us, we would love to hear from you! Please email Brian Platt at BPlatt@jcnj.org.